Religion & Law

In his Letter Concerning Toleration, Locke states that church and state should be separate but the church's sphere of influence should be limited, extending only to the other worldy salvation of its members souls.  He writes:  "The end of a religious society ... is the public worship of God and, by means thereof, the acquisition of eternal life. ... Nothing ought nor can be transacted in this society relating to the possession of civil and worldly goods."  This morning, while in the car, I caught a couple of minutes of Laura Ingraham's radio program.  If I heard her correctly, she took a very Lockean position, criticizing the Catholic bishops and some evangelical pastors for getting involved in the immigration debate suggesting that they ought to stick to "religious" matters.  I've criticized those on the left who take the separationist line when it is convenient to their cause but welcome the church's input when beneficial to their cause and so I apply my criticism equally across the political spectrum since I highly doubt the Ingraham is a consistent secularist.